


The Clouds Block the Sun

by fangirl_with_many_fandoms



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Depression, Edit, Gen, I'm Sorry, M/M, Self-Harm, Suicide, attempted suicide, depressed!Nico, drew is a bitch, im so so sorry for this, solangelo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2018-10-22 02:35:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10688022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_with_many_fandoms/pseuds/fangirl_with_many_fandoms
Summary: Nico isn't in the most stable place. When someone pushes him mentally in the wrong direction, things get really bad. Will comes along to push the clouds away. But instead, it storms.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> DO NOT READ THIS IF IT WILL TRIGGER YOU!! PLEASE!!  
> It is my first time writing an angst fic.
> 
> (I wrote this to cope with my own issues.)
> 
> Once again-- Please do not read if this will make you uncomfortable or trigger you.

The first time that Will saw Nico's scars was when he brought him into the infirmary after he nearly passed out. Will had laid him down on a bed. He had taken off the bomber jacket that Nico always seemed to wear. He was worried that the extra heat would make things difficult. The jacket was tossed aside in the rush of the moment. Will hurried around the small room, gathering all of the necessary equipment. Once he was back at Nico's side, he quickly lifted his arm to place the blood pressure pump around his upper arm. As he was setting his arm down again, he finally saw his wrist. He saw the lines, only a few of them, etched into his light skin. His heart jumped into his throat, but he couldn't dwell on the fact now. He quickly continued his work, knowing that he had to act fast to help the son of Hades get back on his feet. He fed him some ambrosia, and glanced at his wrist again. The marks faded slightly, but didn't vanish. Will gently set the equipment aside, and tucked him in.

"S-sleep well, N-Nico..." Will stutters, he backs out of the room. He knew that what he saw was incredibly personal, and extremely unhealthy. He was worried.

As time passed, Will kept finding reasons to invite Nico back into the infirmary. Each time he did, he was unable to get him to take his jacket off. He finally gave up on that particular advance. He kept paying close attention to him, worried that the scars might grow and multiply.

*~*~*

Nico was scheduled to go to the sword arena to train with Percy. When he stepped out into the blazing sunlight, the heavy bomber jacket felt uncomfortable. He fidgeted with the sleeves, making sure they were covering his wrists. Grabbing his Styngian Iron sword, he walked off towards the arena. He stuck to the shadows as much as possible, passing Will on the way. The blonde called a greeting. Nico smiled feebly and waved slightly. When Nico turned away from him, he didn't see the concerned look darken his bright features.

Percy was leaning against Mrs. O'Leary in the summer heat. He was sent sprawling with a  _WOOF!_ and she bounded away, tackling the son of Hades to the grass. 

"Oh! Mrs. O'Leary! Off! Girl!!" Nico spoke in chopped sentences, as her large, wet tongue kept at his face. He giggled a little as she finally relented with one final kiss. Percy jogged over and offered him a hand up, which Nico gladly accepted. When he was standing, he examined his now slobber-soaked clothes.

"Hmm.." Percy mused, "You can't really practice in that heavy jacket. It would be too restricting. And probably uncomfortable now that Mrs. O'Leary has drooled all over it."

Nico glanced at him fearfully and down at his arms. "O-okay..." He trusted Percy well enough. He had protected him before. He also thought, and hoped, that maybe the unobservant teen wouldn't notice. He turned away, walking to a practice dummy. He carefully shrugged his jacket off, not looking at his arms. 

"Hey, Nico?" Percy's voice made him jump.

"Yeah?" Nico quietly replied.

"Do you want a pair of shorts to wear, or something?" He held up a pair of extra gym shorts and a t-shirt that the camp had stashed around.

Nico examined his essentially unwearable, sopping black jeans. "I guess.. Thanks, Percy." He reached out to take the shorts from him. His wrists were turned up slightly. Nico had known his luck wouldn't hold out. Judging by Percy's quick gasp, the scars and fresh marks in his skin had been seen. Nico snatched the clothes and turned away as quickly as possible.

Percy remained frozen in place. The shock of seeing his cuts quickly turned to guilt. "I'm so sorry, Bianca. I didn't watch over him well enough." He thought. He shook his head, trying to clear it. Nico didn't need him to cry over it, he need him to help him train. 

Nico returned dressed in the much-too-baggy clothes. The shorts hung down past his knees and the bright orange shirt would've been a dress if he hadn't tucked it into his waistband. He had his arms folded over his chest. The bright colors seemed to suck the color out of his pale skin. He glanced around the arena awkwardly, looking for Percy, but he was nowhere to be seen. Nico yelped as he felt a sword tip press into his back.

"Don't ever get too relaxed while on the battlefield." Percy whispered, trying to sound menacing. He burst into laughter, doubling over.

Nico turned to see his black sword in Percy's hand. He lunged to grab it.

"Nuh-uh." Percy tutted, holding the sword high above his head. The little Italian jumped, his fingers didn't even come close to brushing it.

"Percy!-" Nico almost whined, jumping again. He was laughing, though. He had forgotten about his arms for the time being. They were both extended, trying to reach his sword. He stopped and smirked. He swept his foot into Percy's legs. He crashed to the ground. Nico swooped in and snatched his sword back. He lowered it at his chest. Percy grinned at rolled away, pulling Riptide out of his back pocket.

The duel ensued.

Percy won, but Nico had come close. When the black sword clattered against the stones, they were both panting.

Percy grabbed two water bottles and tossed one to Nico. He pat his shoulder.

"Good job, Nico! You almost had me there. I'm proud of the improvement you've made." Percy tried to channel every ounce of sincerity he had into those words. He really cared about the boy. He considered him a little brother.

Nico smiled slightly. "Thanks, Perce."

"Whaddya say? Wanna go again?" Percy asked.

"Eh. Why not?"

After another spar, Nico's sword still fell to the ground. They were both sweating, but Percy smiled. "You have become a truly worthy opponent." He bows, his voice was over-dramatic. He reverts to normal, "Great job, Neeks!" 

"Ha. Thanks, I guess, but do not call me that again!"

Percy laughed and held his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright." The conch for dinner sounded. "Go eat. I'll be there in a bit." He waved and ran towards the cabins. Nico sighed and shook his head at Percy's strangeness. He quickly changed back into his own clothes, but they were still damp. He walked towards the pavilion, smiling at the pretty good day. He glanced down at the fissure in the ground that he had made. He stepped over it cautiously when he heard a voice call out.

"Oh look. The death boy is out of his goth cave, but it looks like he should've stayed in there to spare our eyes." It was Drew Tanaka. She was still bitter and cruel, even more so ever since Piper had taken her place as head of the Aphrodite cabin. When he turned, he saw their cabin marching towards him. Piper was at the front, she had turned around and given Drew a dirty look. She smiled and waved as she passed. He waved back, a small smile dusting his lips. 

He was finally feeling hopeful. A small light was flickering inside of him.

When Drew walked past, she sneered, "Underworld scum." The light shrunk. "The living don't want you here." And just with that, the little light was destroyed. Utterly demolished. "After seeing you, I've lost my appetite, not to mention the smell." His clothes still smelled like Mrs. O'Leary. She shoved him softly, but he was so small that he stumbled back. "Go back to the Underworld where you belong. I know I speak for many others when I say we'd rather have you stay with the dead." The others from her cabin were already at their table and Piper was looking around to see where she had gone. 

As if the light hadn't taken enough damage already, she kept beating it down. "You had a sister, didn't you? Beatrice?"

"Bianca-!" Nico hissed, tears pooling in his eyes.

"Oh that's right. I just didn't care enough to remember. She joined the Hunters before she died, didn't she?"

Nico stared at the ground. Her words piercing through him.

"I mean, I can't imagine swearing off boys, but if it would have gotten me away from you, I would have joined Artemis, too." She laughed cruelly. 

Piper had finally spotted her and was coming to see what she was up to.

"One more thing, that Solace boy. I don't know why he talks to you. He might just pity you. I know for sure that he wouldn't miss you. You're just a temporary entertainment fling, although I don't understand why anyone would pick you for even that. No one at this miserable camp would miss you either. So please, leave us poor living people  _alone_."

Nico stood there in a horrified silence.  _Why had she done that?_ She turned and stalked off, meeting a suspicious Piper and sitting down at their table. Piper glanced back, trying to find Nico. She couldn't see him anywhere, he seemed to have vanished into the shadows.

*~*~*

Nico felt his insides collapsing. He stumbled away, clutching at his torso. His eyes seemed to dim, his feet kept carrying him away. He was unable to see in the despondent weight of her words. Tree roots stuck out in a haphazard fashion. His foot caught on one and he crashed to the dirt. He hugged his knees to his chest. The harsh, venomous, untruthful words echoed over and over again in his head. He dug his fingers into his head, rocking back and forth. He squeezed his skull, as if trying to physically push the thoughts away,

He heard a few campers walking past the shadows in which he hid. He scrambled to his feet, using a tree as support. He accidentally scraped his hand on the rough bark. It didn't pierce his skin, but the scratch reminded him. He glanced at his old scars, newer cuts, and the new wide pale scratch that the tree had left.

When he couldn't hear any more people, he ran from his dark cover towards his cabin. It wasn't very hard for him to convince himself that every word that Drew had said was true. He believed that the others wished for him to leave. He rummaged wildly through the drawers. A small kitchen knife had been hidden in one. He shed his heavy jacket. If they wanted him gone, he had a good idea of how he would get himself back to the Underworld. With a glint in the faint light, he slashed the silver into his olive skin. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I'm so sorry that it took two months to get this next chapter out.  
> Second, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The comments and kudos made my day!!  
> Third, it gets a lot more descriptive and harmful in this chapter. Please do not read if it will trigger or make you uncomfortable or unhappy.  
> Thank you for reading!

Will was leading the Apollo cabin to dinner. They arrived second to last, Hermes was last, and once everyone was settled on their benches, Will looked over to the Hades table. Nico wasn’t there. He stood up, slowly glancing around, trying to find Nico. He couldn’t see him anywhere. He left his table and walked to Percy, who was alone at his table. He knew that Percy had been training with him earlier.

“Hey, Percy.” Will’s voice was pleasant, but tense.

“Oh, hey, Will.” Percy was in high spirits, He smiled at him, “What’s up?”

“I was wondering…” He cleared his throat. “Have you seen Nico around here? I mean, did he come to dinner?”

Percy glanced at Nico’s table and back to Will. “We finished at the arena and I told him to head up to dinner. I didn’t go with him, so I don’t know where he went.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, Will.”

“Oh, uh. It’s alright. Thanks.” Will walked away, his eyes scanning everything.

Piper noticed Will pass behind her agitatedly. She turned and called out to him. “Will!” She waved him over. “What’s wrong?”

Will, still scanning over the area that he can see, responded. “I can’t find Nico.” He turned his gaze to her. His eyes were desperate and pleading. “Have you seen him?”

“Yes, I saw him right before we came into the pavilion.” Will perked up hopefully before she continued. “But he kind of just vanished.” A thought struck her, face scrunching unhappily. She inhaled sharply and looked at Drew. “Wait, Will!”

He turned back to her after beginning to walk away.

Instead of answering, she grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the other campers. “Before he vanished, Nico was talking to Drew.”

Will hesitated, a baffled look on his face. “Drew?” He couldn’t see the connection. He shifted on his feet. He glanced around the pavilion again, hoping Nico would have shown up.

“Yes, Drew. But the problem is, she doesn’t like him very much. Anything she could have said wouldn’t have been good.” Piper faded out as Will’s face fell. The look there was heartbreaking and desperate. “Will? What’s wrong?” Her voice was quiet.

Will didn’t seem to hear her. “Oh no.. Oh no no no no no… Please gods no…” his hands shook and his voice wavered. He looked at Piper with a fleeting desperate expression. Then, without another word, he ran madly out of the pavilion. His destination seemed unreachable. Too far away. The dark cabin sitting bluntly against the bright horizon. He ran harder, hoping with diminishing likelihood that he was wrong.

*~*~*

The dark scarlet contrasted against Nico’s pale skin and stood out against the blue-green veins that shone through his almost ghostly translucent skin. He had four glistening deep cuts running along his forearm. Tears were streaming down his face. With each slice, the pain numbed. He kept repeating the harmful words in his head which he had convinced himself were true.

I repulse people.

_Slash_

I don’t belong.

_Slash_

Bianca left because of me.

_Slash_

It’s my fault she died.

_Slash_

His arm was mangled, almost completely unrecognizable. He switched hands and sliced one on his other arm.

Percy just lied about my improvement.

_Slash_

He never wanted to be my friend.

_Slash_

None of them did.

_Slash_

“And Will…” He sobbed harder as he thought about Will. “He definitely doesn’t mean it.”

_Slash_

He pities me.

_Slash_

He doesn’t love me.

_Slash_

“I’m better off dead.” He spoke aloud to the empty room. He dropped the dripping knife to the floor with a clatter. His arms were shaking. He slid off his bed and sank to the floor. He stared at the wall. The bedsheets were stained with the blood that had oozed dangerously from his veins. His senses dulled. He could see the inside of his cabin, but he couldn’t fully comprehend what he was seeing. He couldn’t hear any outside noise, only the echo of the remaining blood rushing through his ears.

The knock on his cabin door went unnoticed. He couldn’t hear Will calling to him. Or when he began pounding on the door.

Nico could remember the location of the critical vein in his thigh. He poked the spot through his jeans and traced an “X” on it.

“Yes..” He murmured. “That’s it. That’s what I’ll do. I’ve been told this way is quick. I’ll bleed out, here in this dark lonely room.” He nods slowly and thinks about writing a note.

He decided that he would leave last words for the couple people he cared about. He stood shakily and locates a pad of paper and a black ballpoint pen. He clicks it a couple times as he debates on what to say. He finally finds the right way to pour his emotions into the paper.

_I’m sorry that you wasted your time on me. But I know now how you all actually feel about me. I hope you’re all happier when I’m gone. Most of you deserve it._

_And Will, it’s okay if you never actually loved me. Thank you anyway. I’m sorry that I’m throwing away all your attempts to preserve my worthless life._

_I love you._

_Goodbye._

Nico folded the paper slowly. Numbly. He set it on a nearby table. He was crying, sobbing even. The tears streaming constantly down his face didn’t register. He glanced around his cabin, at the blood-stained sheets, the bed Hazel used whenever she visited. Pain shot through him at the thought of her. His eyes scanned the other empty bunks. Time seemed to slow down. It almost seemed to stop. He hugged himself tightly. His whole body shook. He knew it was time.

He carefully undid his jeans and tossed them to the side. He sank to his knees. He adjusted until he was sitting with his knees in front of him. The knife, which had been on the ground, was within arms’ reach. He pressed the tip against the entry point on his thigh. He swallowed thickly.

“Goodbye…” He said aloud to the empty, dark room and began to insert the blade with a small hiss of pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like, come talk to me on my tumblr @fangirl-with-many-fandoms.  
> Thank you for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry that I took so long to update!! I hope you still want to read.  
> I made an edit to the tags, so make sure to check them. I wasn't expecting to take this path with the story, it just seemed to want to go that way. Please be careful, Lovelies~  
> -The Frazzled Author

Will couldn’t breathe. His face was blotchy, his eyes swollen and red. Tears left ugly lines along his handsome face. The sight before him was horrifying. He had nightmares about this, about Nico slicing his skin open to bleed freely. He’d ignored the dreams, hoping, praying, that they were just dreams. He should’ve known better, being the son of the god of prophecy. He heard the knife clatter to the ground. Nico’s face looked up at him. _Scared? Ashamed? Sad?_ He snapped to attention. Nico _needed_ him. Tearing a bedsheet, he created impromptu bandages. He wrapped his arms fervently and gently. His mouth moved, but he wasn’t aware of what he was saying. He silently prayed to Apollo, begging him to allow Will to save him. He prayed to Hades, “Please don’t take him. Please. _Please._ _PLEASE._ ”

The image of Nico laying in a pool of dark, glistening blood, unmoving and cold, wormed its way into his mind. His hands kept moving shakily.

“W-Will..?” Nico’s soft, broken voice brought him back to the present. He opened his mouth to respond, to assure him, to comfort him, when Nico collapsed into his arms.

“Nico?! NICO?!?” Will screamed in horror. “Nico, please! Hades don’t you dare. Don’t you _fucking dare_! Don’t you take him from me!!!” He shrieked, shredding his vocal chords.

Percy ran into the doorframe, he grunted in pain before his eyes took in the scene in front of him. “Oh my gods! Holy Hades…” He cursed and ran a hand through his hair helplessly as the blood-soaked room faced him mercilessly.

Will’s frantic, cold eyes found him. “Help me!” He sobbed.

Percy gulped on air, trying to find words. Jason and Piper finally caught up. Jason froze and Piper gasped loudly.

Will looked broken. He cradled Nico to his chest. He stood up shakily, carrying him bridal style. “I’ve got you, Nico..” He whispered to him, as if he could hear. He walked to the door, to the three standing there helplessly. Will pushed his way through, holding Nico carefully. He starts walking towards the Apollo cabin, as fast as he could. Jason turns and grabs him, flying them to the Big House instead. He sets them at the door.

“Go save him..” Jason held the door open, then went back to the Hades cabin.

Alone again with the pale, limp, bloodied body, Will laid him on a table. Grabbing a medical kit, he began to really work on him. Stripping him completely, he examined the extent of the several cuts. The ones on his arms were daunting, and the wound in his thigh was bleeding slowly, meaning that the vein wasn’t compromised. He thanked Apollo that he hadn’t pierced the vein. He quickly grabbed the sutures needle and held one of the pale, blood soaked arms. The ripped sheet hadn’t done much, but it had helped staunch the blood flow. Before unwrapping the arm, he stuck a piece of Ambrosia into his mouth.

The sheer amount of cuts on his arms seemed impossible to fix. The Ambrosia hadn’t appeared to have fixed anything. Will set to work with the needle, sewing the sliced skin back together. He didn’t notice the lack of rising in Nico’s chest. He didn’t check for a pulse. All he did was frantically sew up his arms.

With shaking hands, Will set the needle aside. The wounds sewn shut. There were so many stitches. Will turned to Nico’s face.

Nico’s pale face.

He was _too_ pale.

*~*~*

Percy, Jason, and Piper stood in complete silence. Blood was _everywhere_. The utter horror as they began to process what Nico had done had them frozen. Piper was the first one to move. She slowly stepped into the dark room. Looking around, she saw the folded piece of paper on the table. A feeling of dread continued to pull at her chest, trying to nail her to the floor and break her vital organs.

With cold fingers, she unfolded it to read the messy ink.

_“I’m sorry that you wasted your time on me. But I know now how you all actually feel about me. I hope you’re all happier when I’m gone. Most of you deserve it._

_And Will, it’s okay if you never actually loved me. Thank you anyway. I’m sorry that I’m throwing away all your attempts to preserve my worthless life._

_I love you._

_Goodbye.”_

There was one dried scary reddish-brown spot towards the bottom of the page. Piper looked up at the two boys as she watched her tears fall on the note. She cried silently and held it out to them.

Jason took it from her and read it, quickly. He pushed it to Percy, as if trying to remove the note. As if the contact had burned him. He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes.

The worst reaction was Percy. Once Percy read it, he took off running, note in hand. He yelled, running full pace for the Big House. He didn’t acknowledge the pavilion he ran past, sobbing in pain. The other campers looked around startled. What had upset Percy?

Annabeth shot to her feet, after finally arriving to dinner. She ran after Percy, tripping over a bench.

Percy burst through the door, and searched for Will. He found them both. Will was hunched over Nico’s body, his fingers pressed under his jaw. He put his head by Nico’s mouth. He righted himself jerkily and began pumping his hands over Nico’s heart. Will was crying again. His tears fell on his hands. He stopped compressions and breathed twice into Nico’s mouth. The small chest rose and fell. Will continued frantic compressions. He was muttering panicked words.

More breathing.

Nico’s chest rose and fell.

Will stopped compressions.

Nico’s chest didn’t rise again.

His heart was done beating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank y'all for reading!! If you want, come chat on my tumblr @fangirl-with-many-fandoms.  
> I'll work on finishing this soon. Just expecting one more chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm so bad at updating ;-; but here's another chapter. I lied last time. There will be one more after this. Please enjoy!  
> -Fangirl

Percy walked into the room. He held the note out to Will. “I’m sorry…” He choked out. Annabeth finally caught up to him, she was going to question him, but once she saw Nico’s unmoving body and the two heroes sobbing, she hurried to hug Percy. The room felt colder. Darker.

The ruckus of campers running back and forth across camp had disturbed dinner slightly. Chiron left his spot at the table and went after Annabeth after she ran past. He went into the Big House, into the room with the open door. Into the room with the heart-wrenching noises coming from distressed teenagers. Chiron stepped into the door and saw the bloody bandages on the dead boy in the room. Annabeth looked up at him, tears streaming down her face.

Chiron’s face fell into its hard lines. He had seen so many heroes die, lost so many students. He was used to the pain, but it was always a fresh stab. He cleared his throat softly. “We’ll need a burial shroud for the Son of Hades. I’m sorry, William.” He stepped out of the room, leaving the building. He dismissed the campers, telling them to go to their cabins. That night’s activities were cancelled.

Annabeth and Percy eventually left the room, reluctantly leaving Will alone with Nico. Will had drawn up a chair. He rested his head on the hospital bed, running his hands through Nico’s hair. Tears had created wet spots on the sheets. His sky-blue eyes were rimmed with red. He caressed Nico’s cold, unmoving face. He pressed a soft kiss to his icy lips. He brushed away the tears that fell onto his dead face.

“I l-love you, N-Nico…” His voice broke as he whispered, knowing the dead couldn’t hear.  He wished he had told him this many more times before. He wished he could have let him know that he mattered to him, that Will cared. Will could’ve saved the boy he loved, if only he had told him more.

*~*~*

Will stayed there all night. The tears had stopped, because he had nothing left to give. He held Nico’s hand, tracing shapes into the cold skin.

Jason and Piper came in to see him, trying to pull him away.

“I c-can’t leave him…” Will said with a hiccup.

“I’ll stay with him.” Piper promised, tears on her face. “Go with Jason, I’ll stay with Nico until you get back.”

Will had no intention to leave. He shook his head, looking absolutely broken. Jason left the room and came back with Percy. The two of them wrestled him out of the room, taking him to the showers. They forced him to stay in the stall as Percy sprayed him with warm water. Will was covered in Nico’s dried blood, tears, and sweat from his exertion. Will sank to the floor, pressed against the corner. He held his knees, the fight left him. He let them soak him. Jason brought him a pair of clothes. Will took them limply. He changed, feeling disconnected with his arms as he moved to dress.

When he was dressed, he just collapsed to the floor. Percy and Jason came in to see what the noise was about. Percy picked him up and carried him out of the room. They started towards the cabins, and Will squirmed weakly in his grasp.

“N-Nico…” His voice broke and he wailed after just saying his name.

“You need to sleep.” Jason said.

“N-NO!” Will shrieked, kicking a little harder.

Percy held on tight and pushed the door to the Hypnos cabin open. Clovis was waiting, surprisingly he was awake. Percy carried Will to him.

“Please, just do it, Clovis. He needs sleep. If you can, make it strong enough to hold back nightmares. At least for a little while.”

Clovis nodded, and the last thing Will heard was his heavy breathing as the world around him grew dark.

*~*~*

Will came to his senses the next day. He was blessed with maybe one hour of peaceful sleep, but the rest were plagued with nightmares. All he could see was the haunted look of Nico’s dead face. The self-inflicted wounds, each slash on the pale skin felt like one to his heart. Will’s mind was muddled. He didn’t feel like he existed. He wanted to be with Nico again.

He finally realized he was laying in his own bunk. He didn’t want to move, didn’t want to get out of bed. His head fell to the side and he looked at the wall. There was a picture taped there, one of him and Nico. They were smiling and sitting on the beach, holding hands. He remembered that day.

 _It was the last day of the summer term at camp. Neither of them were leaving, since they both stayed year-round, but the fireworks were about to begin. They had become official that summer._ Will smiled feebly, lost in memory. _Nico was slowly getting used to physical contact, and their fingers were laced together. The first firework shot into the sky, the campers cheered._

_On a surge of sudden confidence, Will turned to Nico. “Can I kiss you?” He asked, all jittery. Nico’s face was painted with an adorable blush and he nodded. The next firework exploded and Will pressed his lips against Nico’s gently. He felt as though fireworks were going off inside him. The next thing he knew, a wave crashed down on them. He heard whooping and cheering. He wiped the water from his face and looked around to see a group of campers clapping for them. Percy Jackson standing in front._

_Nico spluttered at him, “D-did you.. P-Percy??” Percy put his hands out and shrugged, a smirk on his face. “JACKSON, YOU ASSHOLE!!” Nico shouted at him._

_“Can’t help it, it’s tradition.” Annabeth said hugging Percy, smiling like a pleased mother._

_“They’re not wrong about that, Neeks.” Will said, blushing. Nico stumbled over more words, none coming out quite right. Will pressed another kiss to his lips and they settled back to watch the rest of the fireworks, albeit soaking wet._

Will’s face was covered in tears, painful sobs were wracking his body. He wasn’t even sure when he had started crying again. All he knew is that the boy that he loved, was gone.

*~*~*

The funeral for Nico was held in the usual camper fashion. The campers gathered at the fire, the flames a depressing gray. Hazel, Frank, and Reyna had been called in. Hazel was crying in pain, she had lost her brother. The Seven heroes had lost a friend, and a damn good fighter.

Percy and Annabeth had designed the shroud for Nico. It had a skull with a scepter, representing the Ghost King. There were jewels crafted into it, all in representation of his father.

Will insisted on carrying Nico’s body. He had been wrapped carefully, no one except his close friends knew how he died. And no one was going to. Will’s face was blotchy as he laid the small body in the flames. After a moment of silence, watching the fabric burn, Will spoke.

“Nico di Angelo was a hero. He d-died a hero.” Will gulped for air and cleared his throat. “Despite what some of you might have thought.” He shot a piercing look at Drew, she withered under his gaze. “He was a good person, with a sweet heart. And he _will_ be missed. He was one of the best people I have ever known. I love.. I loved him..” Will’s sobs overtook him and he stepped back.

When the shroud had burned away, he wandered away alone. A figure appeared in front of him, and he stopped short.

“H-Hades?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please hmu on Tumblr @fangirl-with-many-fandoms

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading.  
> I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can.


End file.
